RepSenseiTraps exercises
Your traps move and steady your shoulder blades: lifting them in a shrug, drawing them together in a row, and rotating them upwards when you reach overhead. They also help hold heavy loads at your sides, as in deadlifts and carries.
The trapezius is a large, diamond-shaped muscle from the base of the skull down the upper back. It has upper, middle and lower fibres with different jobs.
Training tips
- For shrugs, lift straight up towards your ears and pause; do not roll your shoulders in circles.
- Train the middle and lower traps too, with face pulls, prone Y-raises and rows where you squeeze the shoulder blades together.
- Heavy deadlifts and farmer's carries train the upper traps hard, so you may need less direct shrug work than you think.
Form guides
Traps exercises you can do at home (24).
Top 40 traps exercises
- Bent Over Barbell RowBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, shoulders
- Barbell ShrugBarbell · Beginner
- Barbell Shrug Behind The BackBarbell · Beginner · also works forearms, lats
- Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar RowBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, lower back
- Bent Over Two-Dumbbell RowDumbbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, shoulders
- Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms InDumbbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Cable ShrugsCable · Beginner
- Calf-Machine Shoulder ShrugMachine · Beginner
- Chin To Chest StretchNo equipment · Beginner
- Clean ShrugBarbell · Beginner · also works forearms, shoulders
- Dumbbell Incline RowDumbbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, forearms
- Dumbbell ShrugDumbbell · Beginner
- Incline Bench PullBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, shoulders
- Inverted RowNo equipment · Beginner · also works lats
- Inverted Row with StrapsOther · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Isometric Neck Exercise - Front And BackNo equipment · Beginner
- Isometric Neck Exercise - SidesNo equipment · Beginner
- Leverage High RowMachine · Beginner · also works lats
- Leverage ShrugMachine · Beginner · also works forearms
- Lying Cambered Barbell RowBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Middle Back StretchNo equipment · Beginner · also works lats, abs, obliques
- One-Arm Dumbbell RowDumbbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, shoulders
- One-Arm Long Bar RowBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Scapular Pull-UpNo equipment · Beginner · also works lats
- Seated Cable RowsCable · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, shoulders
- Side Neck StretchNo equipment · Beginner
- Sled RowOther · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Smith Machine Behind the Back ShrugMachine · Beginner · also works shoulders
- Smith Machine Bent Over RowMachine · Beginner · also works lats, biceps, shoulders
- Smith Machine Upright RowMachine · Beginner · also works biceps, lats, shoulders
- Spinal StretchNo equipment · Beginner · also works lats, lower back
- Standing Dumbbell Upright RowDumbbell · Beginner · also works biceps, shoulders
- Straight Bar Bench Mid RowsBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Suspended RowOther · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- T-Bar Row with HandleBarbell · Beginner · also works lats, biceps
- Upper Back StretchNo equipment · Beginner · also works lats
- Upright Row - With BandsBands · Beginner · also works shoulders
- Alternating Kettlebell RowKettlebells · Intermediate · also works lats, biceps
- Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar RowBarbell · Intermediate · also works lats, biceps
- Bodyweight Mid RowOther · Intermediate · also works lats, biceps
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